The present invention relates to a device for suspending and supporting hot tubing, pipes, or the like.
In our copending application, Ser. No. 950,086, filed on Oct. 10, 1978, we have suggested a device for suspending a tube from a stationary frame, or the like. The device is designed to take care of the problem, arising when the tube expands with increasing temperature. Specifically, the device compensates for the resulting displacement of the tube's suspension point vis-a-vis a fixed suspension point at the frame while ensuring a constant suspension force. The device includes an anchoring structure, defining a stationary anchor point on the frame, building wall, etc., as well as a connection point at a fixed vertical distance from the anchor point. A two-arm lever has its longer arm and end point linked to the connect point, and a rod is pivoted at one end, e.g., to the short end of the two-arm lever. The rod extends alongside the tube, is spaced therefrom for thermal isolation, and its other end is pivoted to the tube. The pivot point of the two-arm lever is also privoted to the tube, that pivot point being spaced from the rod pivot on the tube. A spring, or spring means, is interposed between support points on the rod and the tube in order to take up at least part of the suspension force. This device is not of the so-called constant support variety, but is of the controlled variety, using but the thermal expansion itself for compensating any suspension displacement. Supplemental control power is not required. The principle behind this earlier device is to geometrically fix the connect point (at the two-arm lever) in a dynamic fashion to take up thermally induced displacements of any point that is connected to the tube. Two reference points on the tube are established, one being the point of connection to the two-arm lever, the other one being the one-end connection of the rod. These spaced-apart reference points move apart in relation to each other when the tube expands, and that displacement is transmitted upon the rigid rod which, in turn, pivots the two-arm lever to, thereby, move the connect point of the latter to the frame anchor. This resulting displacement is oppositely equal to the vertical displacement of the tube as a whole due to thermal expansion so that the location of the connect point between anchor and two-arm lever remains invariant, ensuring constant suspension and support force. The interposed spring provides load relief for reacting some of the forces on the rod into the tube. Further for the state of the art, reference is made to German patent application No. 19,59,878 (See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,136).